1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image holding member for electrophotographic photosensitive members, etc. in which a cylindrical hollow substrate provided with a photosensitive layer, particularly a photosensitive layer containing an organic photoconductive material, and a supporting member are made integral in structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electrophotographic copying machine is applied with several processes such as a process of imparting charges to a photosensitive member while generally rotating a cylindrical photosensitive member, a process of forming electrostatic images by imagewise exposure, a developing process which visualizes the electrostatic images by development, a process of transferring the images formed to a transfer material, e.g., paper, and the like. For rotating the photosensitive member in these processes, a supporting member called a "flange" (which also functions as the rotatory member) is arranged on both sides or one side of the cylindrical photosensitive member.
In the prior art method, the flange arranged at the end portion of the cylindrical hollow substrate was integrated with said substrate by employment of a bonding means such as screw and the like, but such a method is complicated in manufacturing steps, and besides there is a problem that it is not suitable for making electrophotographic copying machines smaller and lighter in weight.
Accordingly, the present inventor attempted to integrate the flange with the substrate with an adhesive by way of experiment and it has been found that the organic solvent which is the volatile component remaining in the adhesive after adhesion and solidification has deleterious effects on the electrophotographic characteristics. Particularly, among the electrophotographic characteristics, lowering in sensitivity, elevation in residual potential and fatigue during repeated uses were found to occur and have bad influences in formation of normal images. Also, when an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a flange and a substrate adhered and solidified with an adhesive containing a volatile component was stored inserted into a bag for protection, the minute amount of the volatile component in the adhesive adhered and solidified became filled within the bag for protection and had deleterious effects on the photosensitive layer.